Combined container and dispenser



March 31, 1959 L. E. SIMONS I COMBINED conmnma AND DI'sPENsER Filed Sept. 16, 1954 m w w w LAWRENCE E. S/MONS United States Patent COMBINED CONTAINER AND DISPENSER Lawrence E. Simons, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor of fortynine percent to Phyllis G. Herman, Brooklyn, NY.

Application September 16, 1954, Serial No. 456,395

2 Claims. (Cl. 225-25) The present invention relates to tape containers and dispensers which are particularly adapted for supporting and dispensing pressure sensitive tape and the like.

Various types of containers and dispensers have been employed for use with pressure sensitive tape and similar materials. The requirements of a suitable container are that it occupy a minimum volume, which suggests a cylindrical shape, that it prevent exposure of the tape to the atmosphere and that is sufficiently economical for only a single usage. The requirements of a dispenser are to dispense and sever tape sections of selected length quickly, cleanly and with minimum of effort and minimum of fingering of the tape or tape roll. These two sets of requirements, one for the container and one for the dispenser are sufiiciently incompatible so that separate containers and dispensers are utilized for pressure sensitive tape.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a combined container and dispenser meeting the above two sets of requirements.

Another object of the invention is to provide a conice erativc position due to the adhesion of the tape to a smooth peripheral surface of the operating member.

Further objects, novel features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective of the combined tape container and dispensing device of the present invention shown with the resilient member in closed or normal position;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the pressure sensitive tape and one component of the combined container and dispenser of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a top view of the other component of the combined container and dispenser of the present invention with the resilient member in closed or normal position;

tainer for adhesive tape which automatically converts to a dispenser when the tape sealing the container is unwrapped.

These objects are accomplished by modifying the conventional cylindrically shaped containers, 'of the type manufactured for Scotch tape for example, to function when desired as a dispenser. A single resilient operating memberis supported by the container having a normal and an operative position. When the resilient operating member is in its normal position,'the container and Fig. 4 is a section of the combined container and resilient member of the present invention taken on line 44 of Fig. 1 with the resilient member in open or dispensing position; and

Fig. 5 is a detail or fragmentary top view of the resilient member of the present invention.

The combined container and dispenser shown in the drawings is comprised of two main sections or components 10 and 11 which fit together and form a housing for the roll of pressure sensitive paper tape 12. The section 11 has a flange 13 extending axially inwardly towards the section 10 to form an axle for the roll of tape 12. If desirable the section 10 may have a similar flange, not shown. The sections 10 and 11, when fitted together, form a peripheral rectangular aperture or slot 14. The aperture 14 is a dispensing aperture through which is dispensed the portion 17 of the roll of tape 12. The portion 17 ofthe roll of tape 12 passes adjacent an operating member 18 which is supported in slots 15 and 16 in the section 10.

The resilient operating member 18 has two legs 19 which pass through the slot 15 and rigidly afiix the member 18 to the section 10 preventing anyperipheral movement of member 18. When the combined container and dispenser of the present invention is manufactured, the

resilient operating member together present a readily scalable cylindrical shape. The container has three peripheral slots; two of which are utilized for supporting the resilient operating member and one of which is the exit for the tape. The transformation of the conventional container to the combined container and dispenser of the present invention is a simple process consisting of punching three slots in the peripheral wall of the container, afiixing the resilient operating member to the container utilizing two of the slots, and exiting a portion of the tape through the third slot.

A feature therefore of the present invention resides in the provision of a one piece resilient operating member which functions to facilitate grasping the tape, and as a cutter. The combined container and dispenser comprises only three components: the two halves of the container and the resilient member.

Another feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a resilient operating member having integral means for rigidly affixing one end thereof to the container and means at the other end for severing a selected length of tape.

A further feature of the present invention resides in causing the movement of the resilient operating member to its operative position when the sealing tape is removed from around the peripheral wall of the container. The operating member is moved from its normal to its opthree slots 14, 15 and 16 are punched in the cylindrical container; thelegs 19 are inserted into the slot 15 and bent in opposite directions to prevent peripheral movement of member 18; and a'positioning arm 20 of the resilient operating member 18 is inserted into the slot 16. The portion 17 of the roll of tape 12 is passed over the resilient operating member 18 in its normal position, as shownin Figs. 1, 3 and 5, and completely around the container a't least once "passing over the slot 14 to seal the roll of tape 12 from the atmosphere.

To convert the container for use as a dispenser the portion 17, as shown by the dash line in Fig. 1 wrapped around the sections 10 and 11, is removed. The portion 17 is wrapped around the sections 10 and 11 in a clockwise manner as shown in Fig. 1. When the portion 17 is lifted or removed from the resilient operating member 18 it lifts the serrated end 21 therewith moving the resilient operating member 18 to its operative position. As the member 18 is moved to its operative position it rotates substantially in a counterclockwise manner about legs 19. The adhesion of the portion 17 to the top of member 18 is suflicient to change the position of member 18. The portion 17 adheres sufficiently to the member 18 because the top of the member 18 against which the portion 17 adheres is relatively smooth. As the member 18 is moved or snapped to its dispensing position, shown in Figure 4, the positioning arm 20 is partially withdrawn from the interior of section 10.

The positioning arm 20 is integral with the serrated end 21 of the resilient operating member 18. When the member 18 is manufactured it is bent at the serrated end 21 with one side becoming the arm 20 and the other the remainder of member 18. The positioning arm 20 is shaped to retain the member 18 in its normal or in its operative position unless changed by the user. When the arm 20 is in its operative position, the bent distal end 22 thereof prevents outward movement thereof and the central arcuate portion 23 restricts inward movement. To return the member 18 to its normal position the pressure is exerted on the member 18 causing the portion 23 of arm 20 to move into the section 10. The arm 20 snaps into its normal position restrained on one side by the bottom of the serrated end 21 which is the beginning of arm 20 and on the other by the portion 23.

When the slot 16 is punched in the section the abutment 24 is formed which effectively doubles the thickness of the wall of section 19 against which the portion 23 of arm is pressed when the member 18 is moved from one position to the other.

Ordinarily, though of course not necessarily, the member 18 will remain in its normal position while the container is stored but once the roll of tape 12 is started, the member 18 will remain in its operative position. When the arm 20 is in its normal position as shown in Figure 3 the distal end 22 just misses or fails to touch the roll of tape 12 when it is full or unstarted. As the roll of tape 12 is used up the distance between the roll of tape 12 and the end 22 of course increases.

After the resilient operating member 18 is moved to its dispensing position when the wrapped around portion 17 shown by the dash line in Figure 1 of the roll of tape 12 is removed, the serrated end or edge 21 is utilized to tear the tape. Thereafter the portion 17 passes through the slot 14 and terminates at the serrated edge 21.

To remove a strip or section of the roll of tape 12 the user picks up the portion 17 adjacent one of the arcuate finger portions of the resilient operating member 18 and lifts the portion 17 from the top of the resilient operating member 18 pulling the desired length of tape through the slot 14. The desired length is severed from portion 17 by moving the strip down against the serrated edge 21. The arm 20 maintains the member 18 in its operative position during the dispensing or severing operation. As the length is severed the portion 17 is again lightly adhered to the top of the resilient operating member 18.

The specific embodiment described herein is illustrative of the principles of the present invention and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.

I claim:

1. A dispenser comprising a roll of adhesive tape; a housing defining a dispensing aperture and having means for supporting said roll of tape, and a bearing abutment;

Cit

and a one piece resilient operating member supported at one end on said housing and having a normal and an operative position, and a smooth central portion to which a portion of the free end of said tape adheres, a cutting edge at the other end of said member, and a resilient positioning arm also at the other end of said member which is substantially perpendicular to said smooth central portion, said resilient arm having a central arcuate portion which bears against said bearing abutment of said housing; the adhesion of said tape to said smooth central portion acting to move said operating member from said normal position to said operative position when the free end. of said tape is lifted, said arm having a bent distal end substantially perpendicular to said central arcuate portion of said arm to limit the movement of said operating member by said tape when the free end of said tape is lifted, said central arcuate portion bearing against said abutment to prevent the movement of said operating member to said normal position when said cutting edge is utilized to sever a length of said tape.

2. A combined container and dispenser comprising a roll of adhesive tape; two mating housing sections defining a peripheral discharge aperture through which the free end of said roll of tape is dispensed and having a bearing abutment, and means for supporting said roll of tape; and a resilient member supported by said housing sections having a normal position and an operative position, said resilient member comprising an integral resilient positioning arm for displacingly maintaining said member in said operative position, a smooth peripheral surface for supporting a portion of the free end of said tape, and a serrated edge at one end of said surface for severing a section of said tape when said member is in said operative position, said arm including an arcuate portion bearing against one of said two mating housing sections, the adhesion of said tape to said smooth peripheral surface acting to move said operating member from said normal position to said operative position when the free end of said tape is lifted, said arcuate portion hearing against said abutment to prevent the movement of said resilient member from said operative position to said normal position when a section of said tape is severed at. said serrated edge, said arm including means to limit the movement of said resilient member by said tape when the free end of said tape is lifted.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,590,549 Krueger Mar. 25, 1952 2,600,904 Morgan June 17, 1952 ,678,777 Donkin May 18, 1954 2,698,143 Pottle Dec. 28, 1954 

